


Prompt 8.5 (Duke/MC/Charles)

by Yoselin



Series: Villainous Nights Prompts [11]
Category: Villainous Nights (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 03:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15765657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yoselin/pseuds/Yoselin
Summary: Direct continuation to prompt 8. Name used is Valkyrie.





	Prompt 8.5 (Duke/MC/Charles)

_”Welcome back,” a chipper voice greets.  
I blink several times until my eyes focus. I am in a hospital room of some sort, but I can’t make sense of what has happened. My head is killing me and everything feels dizzying.   
One of my hands reaches for the back of my neck where a bandage is pressed to my scalp. I prod at it and feel a strong stab of pain that goes all the way up into my brain. I wince and bite my cheek.   
A nurse to one side of the room offers me a friendly smile. She peers down at the placard on the edge of the bed and quickly reads my name.   
“Welcome back, Ms. Gray. You gave us all quite the scare,” she walks up to me and holds her tablet aloft as she reads my stats.   
“What happened?” My voice is groggy and it takes effort to sit up. I feel like I’ve been through a wringer.   
The nurse hums to herself and skims some paragraphs on the tablet. “Your place of employment called an ambulance. It seems you suffered a nasty fall at Optimus building.”  
Optimus. I blink in confusion and press a hand to my brow. The name means something, something vital, but thoughts of it begin to flicker before I can get a clear picture in my mind. My head is killing me and my mouth tastes like cotton.   
“I can’t remember,” I murmur to myself.   
The nurse overheard the slight edge of fear to my voice and offers me another polite smile. Her hands move to a vase to one side of the bed and she busies herself with setting it right. The floral scent is strong inside the room and my head feels even more fuzzy with the more I inhale.   
She pulls out a card from a plastic pole in the vase and holds it up to me._ “To Valkyrie, from Sunny Starks. Get well soon.” _I don’t remember who that is.  
“Your fall was nasty and your memory is recovering. It’s normal to not remember everything,” the nurse soothes.   
A knock on the door makes us both glance. I have no idea who would come visit at this hour, Robin is probably at work, but the nurse beams. She gives me a quick wink.   
“Your boyfriend can help you fill in the blanks,” the nurse whispers.   
Boyfriend? My head pounds again.   
The door swings open and a man walks in. He has dark hair and green eyes and walks with purpose. An Optimus name badge glints against his white sweater and he breezes past the nurse as if she is nothing more than a distraction. My memory fails to place him anywhere, although I do have a prickle of fear when our eyes meet. For some reason, his presence puts me on edge.   
“Valkyrie,” his voice is smooth. He comes to the edge of my bed but doesn’t reach out to me. His hands clasp behind his back and he has no emotion on his face. “I’m glad you are alright. It was a nasty fall you took. How do you feel?”  
I blink feeling dizzy. Between the floral scent making my eyes water and the stranger who seems like more than just a stranger, my head is pounding.   
“Who are you?” I grit my teeth in pain as my hands prod at the bandage at the back of my neck. What exactly happened to me?  
The nurse winces and offers the man an apologetic smile. She places a motherly hand on his back and bows her head. “Her memory is fragile, son. Don’t take it personally.”  
The stranger gives an indifferent nod. While the nurse seems awkward at my amnesia, he doesn’t seem surprised. His hand goes to his chest and he bows his head as if introducing himself.   
“I’m Charles,” he inches closer to me, “Your boyfriend.”  
Boyfriend. I have a bizarre flash of something. A fair haired stranger with blue eyes flickers in my mind for half a second before my head pounds again and the floral scent invades my senses once more.   
I can’t remember who Charles is, my mind can’t place him, so I blink up at him. My entire skull feels like someone is taking a mallet to it. I suddenly feel very tired.   
“Boyfriend,” I murmur under my breath. My eyes close and it is a struggle to remain sitting up.   
The nurse’s heels click as she comes to my side. Her hand tilts my chin up and a light flickers on in her hand as she peers at my eyes. So she has superpowers of some sort. Why does that send warning bells through me?  
“What exactly happened?” I nudge her touch away gently. She drops her hand without resistance.   
“You fell at Optimus building and had to be treated. You’re in an Optimus hospital,” Charles pulls out a bottle from his coat. The bottle is a clear glass and the contents inside are light blue pills. “You’ll be fine as long as you take your medicine.”  
He uncaps the bottle and places a single blue pill on the counter next to me. I stare at it. The particular shade of blue of the pill reminds me of someone’s eyes, but I can’t remember who.   
“Since when does Optimus have doctors?” The words leave my lips before I can think.   
I freeze and the nurse does too. A nervous giggle leaves her lips and she glances at Charles. For the first time, I realize that her uniform is more of a scientist than a nurse. An Optimus name badge glints against her chest and her white lab coat looks frayed at the bottom.   
Alarm bells blare against my skull. An overwhelming feeling that something is very wrong envelops me. I have a brief flash of a metal table and needles full of sedatives before I blink and it’s gone.   
Charles comes up to me and pulls the vase of flowers closer. The scent is overwhelming and I feel like gagging. Whatever flowers they are, they’re not normal.   
“Sunny sent these in for you,” he evades my question and arranges the bouquet closer to me until the scent is so strong my eyes water, “she used her powers to increase their scent. It’s nice, yes?”  
He sets the vase down until the tips of the petals sway against my skin. I notice he almost holds his breath as he stands close to them. His fingers take the blue pill next.   
“It’ll be a while before you remember your fall, and it may be forever before you recover your memories fully. Nevertheless, this medicine is Optimus designed to help.”  
My fingers close around the capsule. The bottle it came from doesn’t look like a medicine bottle, there’s no prescription label or tag, and my nerves are on edge again. Despite the headache and pain beating against my skull, something in me tells me this is wrong.   
“Optimus doesn’t have doctors,” I repeat. I almost fling the capsule away. Instincts are flaring up against my skin and my body readies for flight or fight. Something is very wrong here.   
The nurse brushes her fingers lightly against the vase again. The flower’s scent nearly make me sneeze as she dusts some pollen from the petals. As soon as the smell comes over me, some of my apprehension washes away. I find it hard to remember what I was so worried about.   
“Optimus has doctors registered under their name. We are loyal,” the nurse firmly states. Her name tag glints in the light almost as if to prove her point.   
Charles takes the pill from me and presses it against my lips. His face is still devoid of emotion, there is no romantic affection anywhere in his eyes, and I wonder briefly if the nurse is right. I remember being close to someone, but I don’t remember being close to him.   
“Just take your medicine,” he murmurs.   
Feeling like I’m making a grave error, I comply.   
As soon as the pill breaks on my tongue, the bitter taste of medicine fills me. Between the floral scent and the strong drug, my headache dissipates. My mind begins to clear from the fog and my previous suspicion washes away.   
Something in me, deep in my core, still hisses of something being wrong, but the medicine from the pill erodes at it until it’s nothing more than a whisper at the back of my head.   
“Do you feel better?”   
The nurse’s bedside demeanor changes. Gone is the sweet and caring mother, now her eyes spark with that of a scientist’s curiosity. She angles her head to peer at me closer almost as if fascinated by the way the medicine clears my head.   
I close my eyes feeling drowsy. The headache is gone and some of my memories are disappearing with it. For some reason, it no longer alarms me.   
“Better.”_  
I jolt awake with a gasp and sit up. My body aches from sleeping at an awkward angle and I can still taste electricity in my mouth.   
I am no longer in Optimus building. I am in a darkened room with a small cot to one side. Voices can be heard outside the door, male and female, and I get up. My limbs feel heavy from whatever static blow I received, and I catch myself with a hand to the wall.   
“...is she exactly and why did we kidnap her?”  
A female voice asks.   
I strain my ears to hear and subconsciously inch towards the door.   
“I could just easily take care of her. Holding her hostage seems like a waste of time,” a male’s voice cuts through. I hear the hiss of a blade being withdrawn-  
And the floor beneath me gives a tiny shake. “Don’t.” A female voice is cold in its response.   
A puff of a breath can be heard, a hand on the doorknob, and a male voice rings out.   
“She-We know her,” a strangely familiar voice replies.   
I blink and bite my lip. The door swings open after another pause and I have to move quickly to prevent from being hit by it.   
A man wearing a wolf mask raises an eyebrow in surprise as he enters. The others file in behind him. The one with a badger uniform looks almost hesitant as she comes close, the other two looks confused and apprehensive.   
“You’re awake,” the Wolf remarks.   
“It’s not polite to spy,” the Cat chirps. She places a hand on her hip as if scolding but her lips are pursed in curiosity. Like me, she has no idea what I’m doing here.   
“It’s not polite to kidnap people,” I hiss out. My voice is groggy and I clear it. The hairs at the back of my neck are standing up and my body is on edge.   
“You’re not a hostage, Val,” the Wolf whispers. He sounds wounded as he says it, his eyes shine with millions of different thoughts, and his hand almost raises as if to touch me-  
But in the next moment he drops his hand and neutrality takes over his features again. The emotion previously in his eyes is hidden by a cold wall.   
“How do you know my name?” I narrow my eyes at him. I am not wearing my Optimus name tag, left it at my desk, so there is no way for him to know. My fight or flight flares up.   
I glance behind the group at the open door. My telekinesis hums underneath my skin. If I moved fast enough, a simple blast could take them all out. I could dive for the door and escape-  
As if sensing my plan, a breeze appears out of nowhere and the door clicks shut. The Falcon figure leans against it and gives me a cold smirk. He crosses his arms in front of his chest and makes a sound at the back of his throat. _Nice try._  
I clench my jaw. There’s one escape gone.   
“What do you remember?” The Badger whispers. She sounds nervous as she says it. A part of her knows my answer yet she almost needs to hear it out loud to believe it.   
None of this makes sense and my temple begins to ache. I close my eyes tightly and open them after a deep breath. The pain doesn’t dissipate.   
“I have no idea who you are,” I hiss.   
As I say the words, a part of me feels like I am lying. While I do not recognize the figures before me, something does tug at the edge of my memory. They seem familiar somehow, almost like a whisper against my memory, but I can’t make heads or tales of anything.   
“You do. You know us,” the Wolf takes a step closer. His hand moves to the laces holding his mask in place. “You know me.”  
With a tug, the mask comes undone. He lowers it slowly and peers straight at my eyes.   
“Wolf!” The Cat hisses a warning and moves to cover his face with her hand.  
Duke Vale-actually fucking Duke Vale-holds up a hand to stop her. He never takes his eyes off me, and his lips are pressed thin. Hope shimmers in his gaze, but it is squandered when I fail to recognize him.   
He was right, I do know him. I’ve seen his pictures on magazine covers and celebrity gossip sites. Robin has gaped at his net-worth thousands of times and has teased me mercilessly for my dreams of kissing him. FeedBuzz ranked him the hottest millionaire bachelor in America, and his name has been repeated at Optimus for years.   
I do know him, practically everyone with access to the internet does, but something tells me he doesn’t mean that way.   
A part of him hoped I would remember something more when he unmasked himself. Now, a part of him is crushed.   
“Duke Vale is a furry?” I grit my teeth feeling very, very dizzy. My headache is growing by the minute. Something about seeing Duke’s face has triggered one of the worst migraines I’ve ever had. It gets so bad I have to sit down on the cot.   
A snort from the Cat. The Falcon bites his knuckles to suppress his own laughter.   
“Do you know who you are?” The Badger ignores them and inches closer. Like Duke, she reaches for her own mask. It falls away and reveals a beautiful woman I’ve never met before but somehow still recognize.   
I blink.   
“Is this like a Wonderland riddle? I know who I am,” I snap at her more viciously than I meant to. At her wince, I almost feel bad-  
But then I remember these people kidnapped me and I feel a surge of satisfaction. Take _that_.  
“Is unmasking ourselves a thing now?” The Cat tilts her head. She tugs off her own mask and I am suddenly staring at Andi Kim.   
Right. If Duke Vale can be my costumed kidnapper then so can she. This is my reality now.   
Another wave of pain beats against my skull. I press my fingers against my temples. My vision is blurry and the lights in the room are not helping.   
“Val?” The woman edges closer. “What is it?”  
I move away from her and clench my fists. “Don’t call me Val-only my friends can.”  
She winces again, pain flashing in her gaze, and looks away. I ignore her. My hands grope my pockets but my pill bottle is gone as well as my apartment keys. The only thing in my jeans is the butterfly photo from before.   
“My medicine-“ I gasp it out as another wave of pain crashes against my head.   
A rattle of a bottle sounds past me. The Falcon holds the medicine bottle before the light and shakes it so that the contents move every which way.   
“There’s no prescription tag and I don’t recognize it. What is it?” Duke is the one that answers now. He scans me from head to toe as if looking for something.   
“It’s my medicine,” I hiss. I reach for it.   
The Falcon makes no move to hand it over. He tucks it back into a pocket of his suit and hardens his jaw. Unlike his companions, he makes no effort to unmask himself or hide his suspicion.   
“I have no idea what this is,” he pats the pocket with the bottle, “And we can’t exactly let our ‘guest’ pop ecstasy while in our custody. We have a drug-free reputation to maintain.”  
I press my hands against my eyelids. God this headache is so strong. I’ve never had one like this before. I almost break down but manage to hold in my tears.   
“Optimus prescribed it. It’s for my headaches!” I gasp it out and feel nausea.   
The room tenses and a heavy atmosphere descends. Everyone looks at each other suddenly very on edge.   
“Optimus prescribed?” Duke takes a step closer. His hand presses to my forehead and a cold feeling follows his touch. Despite myself, I lean into it. The cold ice on his fingertips helps ease the agony against my skull.   
I squeeze my eyes shut feeling inches from passing out.   
“It’s for my memory,” I murmur.   
“What’s wrong with your memory?” Andi’s voice sounds faraway, almost as if she’s underwater.   
The room spins.   
“I’m missing blanks in my memory,” I answer.   
Another round of silence descends. Duke’s breath hitches above me. He opens his mouth to say something, suddenly concerned-  
And my eyes roll back. The pain in my head is so strong I black out.   
_It’s Sharkweek and Robin tears into a bag of gummy sharks. Some B-rated Shark movie plays on the TV but I am not paying attention. My head is still a little weird despite the medicine I’ve been taking.  
“When did I apply for Optimus again?” My fingers prod at the bandage at the back of my head.   
Robin tugs at a shark with their teeth. It comes apart after a hard yank. The gummies are too hard for them to eat, but Robin insisted on buying them.   
“You never told me, Val,” they reply, “But you did talk about Optimus often. You used to get texts and phone calls all the time.”  
I pause and bite my lip. I don’t remember anything. Frustration gnaws at me.   
“And Charles?” I glance at my phone. There’s a text from him inviting me to dinner tomorrow. I haven’t answered it yet.   
At the mention of his name, Robin’s lips purse. They had only met my boyfriend a few days ago and already the two were like oil and water. Charles found Robin a nuisance and Robin found Charles an “arrogant jerk with his head shoved up his ass.”  
“You were dating someone,” Robin props their feet on the coffee table, “But I never knew who. When I asked, you said it was confidential.”  
I snort humorlessly and trace the rim of my water glass. The shark theme begins to play on the screen.   
“I don’t remember much. I remember big things, but I don’t remember my accident or Charles or Optimus or anything else.”  
Robin tries to line their shark gummy up with the shark advancing on the swimmers.   
“It’s normal, right? The Optimus doctors said you’d have memory problems. Just take that medicine of yours,” they shrug.   
I stare at the bottle of pills on the coffee table. My teeth work on my bottom lip.   
“I guess you’re right,” I whisper.   
Robin jumps as the shark on the screen attacks. Their attention is drawn in to the screaming swimmers and reddening blood. Once the shark music grows quieter, they turn back to me.   
Their head tilts to the side and they frown confusedly to themselves.   
“You know, I didn’t know Optimus had doctors. I guess you’re lucky you had your accident at their headquarters.”_  
It’s a full hour before I awake again. My headache is fading in and out and my entire body feels cold. I am shivering in my skin and am grateful for the blanket being tucked around me.   
“She has a fever,” a voice above me whispers. It’s the Badger woman again. She looks concerned as she places her hand on my forehead.   
She’s not kidding. I feel increasingly worse. My mouth feels like cotton and my head is pounding.   
Charles had often told me that I had to take my medicine every day no matter what. I’ve now gone who knows how long without it. My head is killing me.   
I hear the rattle of pills from somewhere deeper in the room. Duke’s voice is a low murmur. My eyes open long enough to see him discussing things with another figure. The figure is decked out completely in black and has a helmet hiding their face. An electronic male voice rings out from within it.   
“She had these when she came in. Optimus prescribed them to her and I have no idea what they are,” Duke hands the figure the bottle.   
The presumable man turns it over in his hand.   
“I’m not a doctor, Duke. I’ve never seen these before, but if they’re Optimus given-they can’t be good.”  
I squeeze my eyes shut feeling dizzy. I’ve never had a migraine this bad before.   
“My head is killing me,” I murmur.   
The Badger’s fingers go to my head. She tries to massage my scalp, but I feel her hand still at the back of my neck.   
“You have a scar here. What happened?”  
I clench my jaw. My skull is pounding and sleep is already taking hold. She must realize this because she abandons her questioning.   
“Sleep, Valkyrie,” she instructs. Her fingers raise my blanket up higher around me.   
I nod my head. Sleep is a wonderful idea.   
“Thank you, Lorelei.”  
I close my eyes and am out like a light before I can even wonder how I knew her name.   
_Robin hovers at the bathroom doorway and worries their lip with their teeth. They’ve been very concerned for me the moment I arrived from the hospital. While my head injury was not major, it has definitely taken a heavy toll on me.  
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait some more? You need to take it easy,” Robin stresses.   
I sniff at my arm. I smell like rubbing alcohol and medicine. My nose wrinkles up.   
“I smell like doctor,” I make a face, “Relax, Robin. It’s just a shower.”  
I turn on the shower and stick my arm in to check the temperature. Robin frets some more. They look off-put by the idea.   
“You’re still pretty weak. Charles said to keep you in bed for a few more days. I’m just worried you’ll fall.”  
I shake my head. I definitely do feel dizzy, but I can’t go more than two days without a shower. I feel gross in my own skin and need to wash my hair.   
“I’ll be fine,” I soothe. My fingers go to the back of my neck where the bandage is. I begin to pick at the edges of it.   
Robin stands up straight. “Want some plastic or something for that? You shouldn’t remove it yet.”  
I wince as I pull it free. The hospital had said to keep the wound covered but I’m curious.   
I turn so that I can angle myself in the bathroom mirror. My hand lifts my hair up to where the wound is visible.   
Robin and I both wince at the same time. There’s a large jagged cut there almost as if by a knife. It extends from the bottom of my hair all the way down to the tips of my back. The skin there is still angry from the wound. Seeing it for the first time makes me wince.   
“Stitches,” I murmur. The hospital had to stitch it up. The cut was so deep a doctor compared it to surgical wounds.   
Robin shivers and gives me a pitying look. “It was a nasty fall. Do you remember how it happened?”   
I bite the inside of my cheek. “I don’t.”  
My memory has not grown better in the time since I started taking my medicine. The Optimus prescribed bottle has been keeping me under for a long time. With it, I lose bits and pieces of memory more than gain them. Charles and the doctors say it’s normal, but I can’t help but wonder why I can’t remember even bits of my accident.   
The water is still running for the shower. I move my neck a little and wince.   
“I’m going to take a shower. I’ll be fine,” I move my hands in a ‘shoo’ motion.   
Although Robin looks nervous still, they relent. They give my neck wound a last concerned glance before turning around and leaving the restroom.   
“I’m going to sit right outside. Call me if you get dizzy or something...”_  
The next time I awake, I feel a bit better. Whatever building I am in has cleared out. There’s only one other person besides me still here.   
Duke sits at one table typing on a computer. I catch a glimpse of the ChatSphere logo before he realizes I am awake and closes out of the window.   
Relief fills his features and he stands from his chair. He comes over to me with a glass of cold water and a bottle of aspirin.   
“How are you feeling?” His face is cleared of expression by the time he arrives to me, but his eyes shine with warmth and concern. For some reason, he actually does care about my answer.   
I grit my teeth. My headache has cleared slightly until it is nothing more than a dull ache. I wrap my arms around my torso.   
“Where’s my medicine?” I close my eyes and do a mental count. This is the longest I’ve ever been without it. That’s not a good thing.   
Charles and the Optimus doctors had been strict when making me take it. Without the medicine, I can lose entire pieces of memories. I already have blank spots, the last thing I need are more gaping holes.   
Duke takes a seat at the edge of the cot. He scoots far enough to not make me uncomfortable but still close enough to be able to see me properly.   
I eye him wearily. There’s something familiar about him that I can’t place. It’s a feeling in me, deep within my bones, that tells me I know him. I can’t put my finger on it, but I know there’s something about him that is important-  
Important to me.   
I shiver with that thought and draw myself closer in. Poking at my memory is like poking a hornet’s nest. If I’m not careful, the migraine from before can come back full force.   
“Bat took the bottle with him. He said he would look into whatever they were giving you. Do you know what it’s called?” Duke offers the water glass to me again.   
I take it this time but don’t drink from it. I’m not sure accepting things from a kidnapper is a good idea.   
“Charles knows the name. I don’t.”  
I stare down at the way the ice sloshes against the glass. The sound is light-  
And another hallucination comes full force.   
_An ice wall is erected before me. A man in a cobra suit inspects it with his hands behind his back. He takes in all the angles and measures it with his eyes. Finally, he looks pleased.  
“You’re getting better at this,” he calls out to a man in a Wolf mask. This time I recognize it as Duke.   
My lips curl into a pleased smile.   
“Show off,” I sing. I watch as the ice wall fractures slowly then melts into a puddle.   
Duke has his eyes closed and is concentrating hard. His powers are getting stronger by the day, but he still struggles with them. Pride swells in my chest at the thought of him being able to keep the wall up longer this time.   
The Cobra approaches me and nods. It’s my turn to show my powers.   
I close my eyes and concentrate. It’s hard, but I manage to use my telekinesis to lift him up. He’s heavier than the weights I practice with, but I manage to raise him a bit.   
One centimeter, two centimeters, three-  
My head pounds and my powers give out. I wince and press a hand to my forehead.   
“Sorry, sorry,” I apologize.   
The Cobra shakes his head at my apology. His face is entirely patient and kind. “You’ll get there.”  
He pats my back and moves away from me. I color with embarrassment. Sometimes it seems like I’m the only one in the Syndicate who will never get better.   
A hand is placed on my arm and I look up. Duke’s face is devoid of expression, as usual, but his eyes are kind.   
“You’re getting stronger. Last time you couldn’t even lift him,” he leans against the wall with me.   
I pick up a weight on the other side of the room. It wobbles with my flickering powers but I don’t drop it. “Maybe.”  
Silence descends between us. It’s a comfortable silence that leaves me at ease. I subconsciously lean into him and am relieved when he doesn’t tense. Instead, I feel some of the tension on his own shoulders relax.   
I don’t know what to call us just yet, but I know I want to be with him. It’s a deep affection I can’t shake off.   
He must feel the same way because he turns to me moments later.   
“Do you want to go ice skating?”_  
A hand is waved in front of my face. I blink and press my lips together.   
“Ice skating...did we ever go ice skating?”   
The question is past my lips before I can stop it. I tense when I realize what I have just asked. It makes no sense but a part of me is starting to believe that I really do know him.   
Duke’s breath hitches slightly. I feel something surge inside him. For the second time, there’s a hope in his eyes.   
“We did. I took you once ice skating with me back when we were in the Syndicate. Do you remember?” He tries to keep the excitement off his voice.   
I close my eyes. I don’t remember the ice skating, but I remember him asking.   
“No.”  
The hope previously there dissipates. Duke looks at me and takes me in. I can feel his gaze searching for something. I have no idea if he finds what he is looking for, but there is something in him that wants to believe in me.   
“What do you remember?”   
What do I remember?   
Nothing makes sense. I was kidnapped days ago and have been forced to go without my medication. My head is a jumbled mess and my hallucinations are growing worse.   
What do I remember? A part of me wants to remember something. There is something major on the edge of my mind. A voice inside my head tells me to remember.   
I close my eyes. The headache is gaining strength again. Remembering is bad-  
But isn’t forgetting worse?  
I take a deep breath in through my nose.   
Remember. Remember. Remember. An old dream whispers against my mind. A dream of being restrained and sedated. A dream of green eyes pinning me down.   
I shiver. “Tell me what is going on.”  
It’s an order this time. Frustration and anger is washing over me. There are too many unanswered questions. I will go insane if I don’t gather my thoughts.   
“Do you remember the Syndicate?”   
The Syndicate. There’s that word again. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve dreamt it and heard it at Optimus. I have no idea what it is.   
I shake my head. Duke sighs and glances around. We’re in some type of lair with monitors. I spot a holographic bat on one of them-  
My breath hitches. How many times have I drawn that same figure before? My temple prickles.   
“The Syndicate is an organization Zeke formed. You were a part of it when it was in its beginning stage. We are dedicated to taking down Optimus.”  
I archived that at the back of my head. It makes no sense, nothing about what is happening does, but I can’t dwell too much on it.   
I’ve dreamt of this place before, I realize. I’ve dreamt of this room, although back when it wasn’t this sophisticated, and have seen this all. For some reason, my dreams are beginning to come back to me. The pills I used to take numbed me to my visions, but the medicine is not in my system anymore.   
“Who are you? What were you?” I don’t know if my question makes sense.   
Duke discerns the meaning anyway. He turns his face away and stares at a back wall. His facial profile is familiar-  
 _My lips brush Duke’s cheek lightly. A blush spreads across his face and I feel my own face warm.  
“Thanks for taking me out,” I smile, “I had fun.”  
Duke’s face is in a soft smile. It’s a rare treat to see him this way, full of warmth and emotion. I trace his features mentally promising myself to sketch it later.   
“I will see you tomorrow,” he murmurs. He turns to leave the park we are in. I watch him take two steps away-  
Before he changes his mind and comes back up. Almost as if worried he will cross a line, he reaches for me and tilts my chin up. Before I realize what is happening, he is pressing a chaste peck to my lips._  
Duke begins to speak and my hallucination fades out. I blink and find myself back at the Syndicate lair.  
He’s still not glancing at me, staring at something on the far wall, and I can see the muscles in his cheek moving. His hand at his knee tenses just slightly.   
He’s in pain, I realize. I am not the only one who is hurt by the fact that I am confused.   
“I was your colleague in the Syndicate. We met when Zeke introduced us. You were the fourth member inducted in, so you always felt out of place. Zeke tried to curve that by assigning you to work with Lorelei first, but it didn’t work out. You two got along but Lorelei was too closed off and you told Zeke you worried she didn’t like you-although she did. Zeke then paired you with me. We trained together, worked together...and then ended up together.”  
A pause. He thinks of more to say, I think about what he has already said.   
It is so insane. Every word leaving his lips is madness, the ramblings of a street preacher would make more sense-  
But nothing about me makes sense.   
I am a person who is missing gaps in her memory. I am a person who takes medicine like a lifeline because her brain makes her think images are there when they’re not. I am a person who has just been kidnapped by two of the world’s most famous celebrities-  
And I am a girl who is starting to realize there’s more to this story.   
Despite my best judgement, a part of me awakes slowly. It feels like I am finally waking up from a coma. My head begins to feel clarity. It is an emotion I haven’t felt in a very long time. I pause to take it in.   
“Do you remember anything? Anything about me? About your powers?” Duke inches closer. His eyes are still pleading. He wants me to remember so badly that he’s hurting.   
I move away and clench my hands into fists.   
I know how I got my powers, but something tells me that isn’t what he means.   
_Charles has always been a quick walker. He strides through the halls with purpose and never stops to consider that I may be lagging behind. I grit my teeth and chase after him, balancing a few binders in my arms.  
“Is there a race I’m not aware of?” I snap the question at him as I dodge another Optimus worker.   
Charles glances disinterestedly back at me. He sees the distance between us, the fact that I am out of breath, and seems unconcerned. Rather than let me catch up, he resumes his brisk pace.   
“I like to get to places on time, unlike someone I know,” he throws me a cold look.   
I prickle with irritation and bite tongue to keep from losing my job. The problem with work relationships is that I am tempted to clap something back to my boyfriend without remembering he is also my boss. Whatever, I’ll just get back at him tonight.   
I manage to pull through to his side just as we round the corner. High school track has prepared me just a bit for how fast he walks.   
I open my mouth to ask him about the meeting we are going to-  
Just as I trip on my own two feet. In my bid to catch up, I’ve lost my balance. The folders in my hands fly out of my grasp and go flying down the stairs.   
Charles utters a curse and moves to gather them-  
Before I stop him.   
Almost as if by second nature, I move my hand. The binders levitate from the floor and up to my reach. I snag them from the air before I have a chance to process what I’ve just done.   
Shock washes over me and I stare down at the binders in my arms. Did I just-?  
I glance at Charles still reeling. My mind is abuzz with a feeling I’ve never felt before. It feels like a muscle I haven’t used in years has just woken up from slumber.   
“What was that?” I glance at the binders and give an experimental mental jolt. Just like before, they rise inches from my grasp with just the power of thought.   
Charles pushes his glasses up. “I believe that is Telekinesis.”  
I am so amazed with my abilities that I miss the displeased look on his face. While I am under the impression that my newfound powers are the best thing to ever happen to me, Charles looks upset.   
I beam up at him and hug the binders closer. Excitement prickles up my skin and my joy is almost palpable.   
“Is this really happening?” I can hardly keep from bouncing in place.   
Charles looks away and pulls out his phone. He is dialing a number before I have a chance to ask him who. He doesn’t reply to me, but I hear his words in a quiet whisper.   
“It’s not supposed to happen.”_  
I grind my teeth together.   
“I know about them,” I snap.   
Duke winces just slightly at my tone, but I can’t bring myself to care. I am suddenly very sick of not knowing what is happening.   
“None of what you’re saying makes sense,” I shake my head.   
“And does having telekinesis make any more sense?” Duke tilts his head, “The world is full of things that don’t make sense. We just have to learn to make them make sense. Deep down you know I’m telling the truth.”  
I do. Blast it all. Deep down a part of me can’t deny his claims strike a chord within me.   
I stare down at the water cup still untouched and watch the way condensation presses against the glass. My throat works with words I can’t quite form yet.   
“Why then?”   
It’s another cryptic question that Duke somehow manages to find the sense in. He has a knack for finding meaning in me when I can’t even find it in myself. Perhaps that should be proof enough that there’s more to the story than just the line Optimus and Charles sold me.   
“You were going on a mission by yourself. It was a simple mission that shouldn’t have gone south. You left the Syndicate late in the night-I kissed you goodbye and wished you good luck,” a blush rises on Duke’s face although he tries to hide it by looking away, “And you walked out promising to come back. Except you didn’t. Something went wrong that night, something bad, and you never came back. Zeke sent out a mission to find you. He sent me and Lorelei to find out what happened. We combed Optimus for what we could, but they had covered their tracks well. All we knew was that you had gone in the building but had never left it.”  
“How did you know that?” I blink and my hand begins to shake.   
Duke’s lips press thin and he moves his hand. He reaches for something in his coat. It is an object I’ve seen before in hallucinations and dreams.   
The object he pulls out is a red butterfly mask made of thin fabric. It has a large cut to one side, like someone has ripped it off, and there’s dried blood on the edge.   
My breath hitches-  
 _”How about this one?” A man in a cobra mask lifts a small box up.  
In the mirror’s reflection I can see something red peering out of it. My eyebrows raise and I’m intrigued.   
The man walks up to me and lifts the contents up. It’s a red butterfly mask made from a thin fabric. It is like the one Wolf and Badger wear except this one looks like it has been fashioned to fit my uniform.   
“A butterfly?” I reach out for the mask. My fingers skim the soft fabric and decorations.   
Cobra motions for me to look in the mirror. I drop my arms and let him lean over. He stands behind me and lifts the mask over my face. It falls across my features perfectly, almost as if made for me, and he fastens the ribbons at the back holding it in place.   
I blink. The mask has a charm to it. It looks amazing when compared to the red and dark colors of my uniform. After looking for one for so long, it is a relief to find one that fits so well.   
“A monarch,” Cobra corrects, “the best butterfly.”  
I trace the edges of the mask on my face with a finger. My lips quirk up in a smile.   
“So, what? Wolf, Bat, Badger, Cobra, and...   
bug?”  
Cobra snorts and tightens the laces at the back of my head.   
“Butterflies are not bugs, Val,” he peers at my reflection with pride, “Try Wolf, Bat, Badger, Cobra, and Monarch. It has a better ring to it, doesn’t it? Besides, you’ve earned the title of Queen.”_  
I blink and the vision goes away. It leaves behind another feeling of vertigo and confusion.   
I suddenly feel very lightheaded and need to get away from this place. This lair that I am in is claustrophobic. I need to escape it.   
“We thought you died- _I_ thought you died. I looked everywhere for you, Val. I called every hospital in the area, I had Bat hack Optimus files, I went on scouting missions behind Zeke’s back. There was no trace of you. Eventually, I had to accept the idea that you had died,” Duke squeezes his eyes shut, “It was...hard.”  
By the look on his face and the way his hands shake when holding my mask, I can tell that it was more than just hard.   
I take a deep breath and feel my heart pound.   
None of this makes sense and I am very sick of it. My head is swirling and everything I know up to this point feels like it’s shattering.   
I need to get away. I need to escape.   
My eyes look around the room. We are alone and there is a door to one side. If I can make it there...  
I give a loud cry and my hand holding the water glass and aspirin jerks. The glass shatters on the floor sending liquid all over my shoes. The pills skid underneath the seats we are in and in a crack in the floor.   
Duke jerks up. “What is it?”   
I press my hands to my head. “My head is killing me!”   
I double over and land in the water puddle. My face contorts in pain.   
Duke’s hand comes around my form. He lifts me up and sets me back on the chair. His eyes are wide with panic.   
“Take a deep breath-“  
“Shut up! Give me another aspirin!” I shove him roughly away and bite my lip hard. When he sees the blood I draw, his breath hitches.   
“Wait here,” he turns around and goes for another door on the opposite side of the room.   
I wait until he has entered the room before dropping the act.   
I straighten and focus. The door swings shut behind him and I click the lock.   
Immediately, he catches on. His fists pound against the door and he screams my name and orders me to let him out.   
I ignore him and turn around. On his chair is his cellphone. In his bid to help me, he’s dropped it. I try to call the police but there’s no signal.   
Cursing under my breath, I watch the door jolt. He is trying to kick it down. I have no time then. With his strength, he’ll bust through it easily.   
Without stopping to ask myself if it is a good idea, I spin on my heels and dive for the other door to the other side of the room.   
Shouldering it open, I escape. 

The lair is in some type of underground subway. I run around for a good few minutes before finding a subway about to depart. I manage to fling myself inside it just as the electronic doors slide shut and the train car embarks on its destination.   
Once in the safety of the train, I can finally breathe again.   
I take long breaths of air and clench my fingers around Duke’s cellphone. There’s still no reception and I have no idea where I am going.   
I slide into a seat and take more deep breaths to slow my pounding heart. My eyes fall across the cellphone in my hand. If I can’t get a phone call across, then I may as well snoop.   
A twinge of guilt fills me as I slide open Duke’s phone-he doesn’t have a password-but I push it down. Since he kidnapped me, I think prying into his secrets are the least I can do.   
His cell phone is a model I’ve never seen before, he probably has access to technology that hasn’t even been released to the public as a millionaire, but I manage to find my way around it.   
My fingers fly across the screen to look for a way to contact the outside world. His cell still reads no bars and I grit my teeth.   
His phone is non personal and as closed off as he is. His wallpaper is the standard one the phone comes in, his apps are also standard except for a ChatSphere app and an app keeping track of the DOW and stock market, and his notes are empty.   
I grind my teeth in frustration and keep my hunt. If I want to escape this place, I have to know more about the man that took me.   
His cellphone contacts prove fruitless. All of his contacts are linked to ChatSphere, employees no doubt, and his texts are all business related. There is nothing personal to his phone.   
Biting my lip, I move to his camera roll.   
Unlike most people his age, Duke has three photos in his roll. One is a screenshot of an email from a man named Miguel, it details Duke’s schedule for the day and recaps a business meeting, the second is a picture of the ChatSphere logo-  
But the third makes me freeze.   
The third is an old photo, the timestamp is years ago. It is Duke sitting in a restaurant wearing a white sweater and long overcoat. He is seated next to a young woman wearing a dark red dress that matches the tips of her hair. In other words, he is seated next to _me._  
In the photo, I am smiling. My cheek is pressed to his and my face is warm with a pleased blush. Duke echoes my own blush and his eyes are lit up with more emotion that I’ve ever seen him display. It looks like we are on a date. The restaurant is lit in low lights and there is a candle on the table. I recognize the wallpaper behind Duke. I’ve been to that restaurant before-  
 _When Charles asked me to have dinner with him, I had been expecting a better date.  
My cheeks puff in frustration and I swirl my fork absentmindedly around my spaghetti.   
Despite the fact that this is supposed to be an intimate outing, he has spent the last twenty minutes with his nose buried in his tablet. I can see him typing emails and creating spreadsheets for Optimus.   
Figures.   
I roll my eyes in frustration and wonder for the hundredth time just why we are dating. It seems like we have little to nothing in common. Perhaps the me before the accident had bad taste.   
I swirl my fork around and let my gaze wander out the window. Sunlight is dipping low as the sun sets. The world outside is awash in reds and oranges.   
“It’s beautiful outside isn’t it?” I nudge Charles gently and nod out the window.   
He glances at it for a millisecond before making an uninterested noise. “I prefer thunderstorms.”  
“Of course you do,” I huff, “but I like the sunset.”  
I put my chin on my hand and continue to stare outside. There is a patch of flowers outside the restaurant. They are violet and blue in color. I watch them with fascination.   
A lone monarch butterfly drifts through the patch. It settles on one flower before drifting to another.   
A smile tugs at my lips.   
“Charles, look, a monarch!” I lean closer. I’ve loved those butterflies for as long as I can remember.   
Charles rolls his eyes and looks very irritated for some reason. “Monarchs...” He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Nothing but useless bugs. I have no idea why you like them.”_  
I snap out of my daydream and close the camera roll. My head is even more confused.   
Biting my cheek, I move on.   
Duke has two voicemails saved. One is of a man’s voice who reminds him that he has a meeting for tomorrow morning in a conference call. The second is of a familiar voice.   
I strain to hear it although the recording is faint.   
“Hey, Duke...I’m just letting you know that I’ll be waiting for you at the park for our date. I can’t wait. See you there, love you.”  
It is brief in nature, yet it takes my breath away.   
It’s _my_ voice.   
The cellphone slips from my grasp and clatters to the floor. The screen cracks as it skids across the subway.   
The recording and photo are of me. No amount of photoshop and voice manipulation could fake it that well. For reasons unknown, Duke has those items.   
I press a hand to my forehead as vertigo sets in.   
None of this makes any sense. I feel like I am going crazy. Thankfully, I have no time to dwell. The subway skids to a halt and the doors slide open. I scoop up the cracked phone and shake my head.   
Worry about making sense of things later. For now, focus on escaping. 

The subway leaves me at a random street in town. It takes me a while to navigate through the unknown blocks before I come across streets I recognize.   
Once I find myself outside a cafe I frequent, I stop to catch my breath. My heart is hammering in my chest and my mind is racing a million miles.   
The story that Duke told me is insane and impossible, but evidence proves otherwise. Duke’s cellphone has photos and recordings of me, my dreams have shown me bits and pieces to corroborate his story, and my own gut tells me he’s not lying. The medicine I’ve been taking has long since washed out of my system and my mind is finally left to delve into the corners it hadn’t been allowed to access before.   
I press my back into the building’s wall. The cafe is closed for the night so I have to make a choice.   
I can either dial the police and tell them that Duke Vale kidnapped me, or I can run and find Charles to help straighten my mind out.   
The first option is ridiculous. No one would believe the raving madwoman that one of the most prominent millionaires in the country kidnapped her, his PR team would shut down my story before the police could even arrive, so the second one is my only choice.   
In the distance I can see Optimus Tower skimming the skyline. If I run, I can make it there on time. Hopefully Charles will be there.   
I take a step to head there-  
Then the cellphone in my hand rings.   
I stare down at the caller ID but it is unknown. Answering Duke’s phone feels wrong, I have no explanation as to why I have the cell in case a ChatSphere employee calls, so I let the call go to voicemail.   
Once it does, I relax-  
But then it rings again. Whoever is on the other line really wants to talk.   
I bite my lip. If I continue to ignore the call, someone might get worried and send a search party for Duke. I have to answer it. At worse, i can pretend to be his girlfriend and badmouth him.   
I slide my finger across the screen to accept the call.   
Duke’s voice rings from the other end. He comes out garbled, almost as if cell reception is weak where he is.   
“You took my cellphone,” he says. It’s not an accusation, just an observation.   
“You kidnapped me,” I retort.   
I glance behind me but don’t see him. Without wasting more time, I bolt it towards Optimus Tower.   
“What do you want with me?” My voice comes out breathless as I run.   
“I just want to talk, Val. Where are you?”   
I grit my teeth. “You’re tracking the phone aren’t you? You know where I am.”  
He doesn’t deny it. He is tracking my location. His cellphone has a “Find Me” feature. Great. I debate hanging up and chucking it in a garbage can.   
“Just...can we just talk? My apartment is near you. Turn the other way and head up North-“  
“I don’t want to go anywhere with you!” My hand shakes and my headache returns.   
You’re already making me too confused, Duke, just leave me alone. My mind is spinning enough as it is, I need someone to help get my thoughts in order.   
Duke takes a deep breath on the line. The phone almost cuts off and it sounds like he’s going through a tunnel. He is more than likely still close to the dead zone by the lair.   
I let that thought calm me down. He’s far away from me and can’t reach me in time. Just breathe, Valkyrie, Optimus Tower is just a block away now.   
“I don’t know who you are and I don’t know what you want with me. Just leave me alone or I’ll call the police,” I grind out.   
Silence on the line. I can hear him try to think of a response. When he next talks, his voice sounds very pained.   
“Valkyrie, please, _I mourned you._ ”  
 _I mourned you._   
The words send a chill down my spine. I am reminded of his story from earlier and how I had disappeared. There really was pain in his eyes then, he really seemed sincere when recounting how much I had meant to him.   
My hand shakes some more and I clench my jaw.   
For a second, I want to reconsider his offer. I want to turn around and head for his apartment, let him talk to me, and let him tell me the rest of his story-  
But then I arrive at Optimus. The building grounds me and sets me straight. I can’t afford to listen to him. I need Charles to help me.   
“Just...leave me alone.”  
I end the call before he can say anything else. 

The Optimus work day has long since ended. There are no employees in sight and it takes me a while to find Charles. He is emerging from his office and typing at his cellphone when I ram into him.   
“Charles!” His name leaves my lips in a relieved pant. I fling myself at him and wrap my arms around his neck. His scent of coffee and hand sanitizer washes over me and offers me a small bit of comfort.   
“Valkyrie?” He sounds surprised as he stiffly embraces me back. Despite the fact that I’ve been missing for more than a day, he’s more shocked than relieved to have me back.   
I pull away from his embrace and take him in. He definitely looks worse for wear. There’s a gash to one side of his head where he had collided with the wall after being flung and bruises peek underneath underneath his shirt.   
I feel a twinge of regret. In all the time that I was in the Syndicate, I had never once remembered about his injuries.   
“Where were you?” Charles’ eyes narrow. He takes in the sight of me and I wonder what I look like. My clothes are rumpled and dirty, my hair is a mess, I must look like a zombie.   
The stress from earlier floods me again and I begin to tear up. I grab his hands as if to steady myself.   
“Police,” I gasp out, “We need to go to the police. They took me and they held me captive. I don’t know what is happening-“  
Charles makes a shushing sound underneath his breath and wraps an arm around my back. His lips are thin as he moves me away from the front door and towards an elevator.   
“Where were you? Did the Syndicate take you?”  
Charles calls the elevator and turns to me.   
The Syndicate. So he knows.   
I wipe away my tears and nod. My throat feels tight and I just want my confusion to end. I sniffle.   
“We need to call the police,” I remind him.   
The elevator dings open and Charles beckons me inside. There’s an electronic panel on one side where a floor can be selected. He takes out his name tag and swipes it beneath the panel. To my surprise, a new button lights up when he does so. The elevator beeps and the doors close.   
“What you need is a medic. You look ill,” Charles states.   
I watch as the elevator lights come on and we begin our descent.   
“Where are we going?” I feel unease fill me.   
Charles glances at me from the corner of his eye. “To see a medic. Optimus has some doctors on call below level. They’ll take a look at you and make sure that everything is fine before we go home.”  
The elevator lights turn red suddenly as we descend past the lobby. We are headed for the basement. For some reason, panic fills me.  
 _Something is wrong. Something is very wrong.  
The air feels charged with something bad. My nerves are on edge and the hairs at the back of my neck standup. Every instinct is telling me to turn tail and flee.   
Zeke had said this mission would be safe. Zeke had told me to relax and just focus, but something feels off.   
I inch through Optimus Tower and press a finger to my earpiece. Perhaps I can call on Bat and have him survey the area for a threat-  
But I never get the chance. As soon as I round the corner, the Optimus Emergency lights come on. Optimus guards pour in every direction and I freeze.   
I’ve been caught-_  
I feel a shiver run down my spine. The elevator continues to descend even past the basement level. I have no idea where we are headed.   
“Where are we going?”  
My voice is quieter this time. My skin has goosebumps and I am slowly starting to piece things together.   
Charles types something in his cellphone. He sends out several messages before turning back to me.   
“You know where,” is his reply.   
Whatever act he had been playing before has dropped. He is no longer my on-and-off boyfriend or boss. Now, his expression is devoid of emotion and he seems to be appraising me as if I were little more than a mission he has to complete.   
I bite my lip and glance as the elevator continues to descend. The red lights are still blinking and the electrical panel marks the buttons down as we go.   
I do know where we are headed, I realize. I’ve been down this path once before.   
I have a sudden vision of needles and doctors. I see a man with green eyes peering at me from a medical table-  
And then I meet Charles’ green eyes.   
With that, the final puzzle piece in my mind falls into place. Years of memories flood me like a tsunami and my body begins to quiver. I know who I am, I know what I am, and I know what is about to happen.   
I inch away from Charles and press myself into a corner of the elevator. The thing stops with a shudder in its final destination. The doors open with a loud groan and we are suddenly in a floor I’ve only seen once before.   
“What are you doing?” My hands shake at my side.   
Charles grabs my arm none-too-gently and tugs me out of the elevator and into the floor. The floor looks deserted except for a lone light at the end of the hall.   
“Relax, Valkyrie, we’re just here to see a medic,” Charles replies.   
I look around and begin to plot. The elevator is already ascending up so escaping through there is futile, but maybe I can use my powers to get away-  
As if sensing my thoughts, I feel a bizarre feeling envelop me. My telekinesis no longer works and I realize Charles is using his own powers on me. He can disable superpowers as long as he is focusing on one person.   
My lips thin and I drop my own facade. Alarm bells are ringing inside my mind and memories long ago forgotten are slowly fading back into view.   
I’ve been here once before. I know what is coming. I know there is no escape.   
“You’re going to erase my memories again. You did that once,” I state. It’s not a question. I know the answer to it and he does too.   
He pushes his glasses up his nose and looks down on me. His mouth is downturned in a scowl. “Yes.”  
Not a denial. I grit my teeth and press myself against a nearby table. When I lean against it, Duke’s cracked cellphone bumps it in my back pocket.   
My breath hitches and I hope Charles can’t see the outline of it in the darkened hallway. There is no way to call anyone this far down, cell reception has to be weak, but perhaps he can trace it back somehow here. Perhaps he can find me this time now that he knows I’m alive.   
“Why do this? Why not just kill me?”  
 _Please don’t kill me._  
My fingers close around the cellphone and I let my other hand wander around the surface of the table. Perhaps I can wedge it in the space between the wall and the table.   
Charles glances down at his phone before looking at the lone light lit in the corridor. It’s streaming from a room and I can hear movement coming from it. Someone is down here with us.   
“For reasons unknown, Optimus finds you valuable. Why would we kill an asset with connections to the Syndicate? You’re the key to taking them down.”  
A door opens and more light pours through. I see Sampson emerging from a room. Like Charles, he has dropped his own act. My carefree and kind boss is now replaced by a cold villain with a scowl on his face.   
I narrow my eyes at Charles. “I won’t help you take down the Syndicate. I don’t know who they are.”  
The lie leaves my lips easily. My heart is still pounding in my chest but at least I can make myself sound confident.   
I take advantage of Sampson’s arrival to jam the cellphone in a space between the table and wall. It fits perfectly and is obscured from view. Hopefully the Syndicate will be able to trace it here somehow. I have faith.   
Sampson arrives feet from us and completely ignores me. His attention drifts away from me and to Charles who is still waiting for someone to arrive.   
“I am guessing the procedure failed?” Sampson asks.   
The procedure. How many times have I heard that one before in the past?   
Optimus had lied. I never had an accident or hit my head. Instead, my memories had been taken from me. I feel like an idiot for not realizing that sooner.   
Duke hadn’t been lying. Optimus had been lying. Now I have walked right into their hands.   
“The procedure was a success but her memories came back. We’ll just have to up the dosage of her medicine for next time.”  
Their voices are analytical and I realize I’ve been blocked out. For some reason, that really infuriates me. I clench my fists at my side and try to push the fear rising in my stomach away.   
“I’m right here you know. Why go to all this trouble for me?” My voice sounds more confident than what I feel.   
Finally, Sampson turns to me. He seems to consider me for a long time.   
“You’re valuable, Ms. Gray. Optimus considers you a high priority. You are the key to taking down the Syndicate. What better way to topple an organization than to use someone with inside knowledge,” he taps his forehead.   
“I’ll never help Optimus,” I curl my lip in disgust.   
Charles snorts next to me. “You have and will.”  
Before anything more can be said, Sampson nods at the room illuminated at the end of the hallway. He pulls out a syringe of something and inches closer to me.   
“Just relax, Valkyrie, everything will be fine in due time. The procedure will be quick and then it’ll all be over. When you wake up, you’ll be the same Valkyrie that you were before. No harm no foul.”  
He advances on me. I back away but Charles comes up behind me. His arms grab mine and I am forced to stand still as the sedative is inches from my neck.   
Panic seizes me and I know there is no escaping this. The procedure will go through and I will lose what little I have recovered.   
My body shakes with fear and I lock my muscles in Charles’ arms.   
“Wait! Please! Let me say something before you do that,” I plead. I just need a minute to steel myself for what is to come. How do you prepare to lose yourself?  
Even from behind me, I can imagine Charles rolling his eyes. Sampson stops too and raises an eyebrow.   
“By all means,” he concedes.   
I lock my jaw and turn back just so that I can see Charles’ eyes. With as much rage and contempt that I can muster, I glare at him. It is a small victory when I see him lose some confidence.   
“I just want to tell you one thing before I can’t remember again,” I curl my lip in disgust, “I faked all of my orgasms.”  
Silence for a second before Charles rolls his eyes. “Real mature, Gray.”  
Sampson looks amused but I have no time to dwell on it. Something sharp digs into the skin of my neck and my whole world turns black.   
My last thought is a plea to Duke.   
_Please find me._

A hospital’s fluorescent lights draw me out of sleep. My head is killing me and my body feels weak. I blink up slowly until consciousness fades into existence.   
I am in a hospital room of some sort yet I can’t remember how I got here.   
I make a noise at the back of my throat and sit up. My hand goes for the back of my neck. A long bandage rests there and it is pure agony when I brush against it. Whatever wound I have sustained, it is bad.   
“Don’t pick at that,” Charles’ voice orders.   
I blink and realize he is sitting in a chair next to the bed. A tablet is open on his lap and his legs are extended. He has seemingly been up all night by the look of the dark circles under his eyes.  
It takes me a moment to form words. Finally, I take a deep breath.   
“What happened?” My voice comes out groggy from sleep.   
I can’t remember anything past taking a nap in Charles’ office. My head is swirling and white, hot agony is stemming from the wound at the back of my scalp. Everything feels terrible and I am certain I’ve never known a pain like this.   
Charles glances at the TV to one side of the hospital room. It’s a news station detailing the events of the day. I realize with some shock that their calendar is marked to days after what I can remember. Just how long was I out?  
“You had an accident when you were walking home. You hit your head pretty hard, but everything will be fine. The doctor said you’ll make a full recovery and he prescribed you medication. Your old one isn’t going to cut it anymore.”  
Charles reaches into his pocket and pulls out a clear bottle. Unlike my past blue pills, the new ones are blood red. They clatter against the bottle as he shakes it.   
I blink up at him in confusion, thoughts are still hard to make out past the pain in my head, and turn back to the broadcast.   
The date still blinks at me ominously. I’ve been out for days. Why I can’t I remember those days?  
“Was I asleep all this time?” I press another hand to the bandage at the back of my skull and am rewarded with another throbbing ache.   
“It was a bad fall,” Charles replies.   
I open my mouth to ask something else when the news broadcast changes. The stock market is being reported on and it seems ChatSphere has increased in value by several times. The news station displays a picture of Duke Vale standing before a graph of his company’s stock value. For some reason, his picture strikes at something deep within me. I have a flash of a wolf standing amidst ice before it disappears. As soon as it came, it is gone and I find myself unable to remember just what I had seen.   
I turn back to Charles and accept the red pill he is dropping into my palm. A Dixie cup full of water is extended to me.   
“New medicine?” I pop it into my mouth. This one is stronger than the last one and I feel it work instantly. The pain in my head recedes and I suddenly can’t remember what I was thinking about before.   
Charles’ lips curl up into something resembling a half smirk. He looks pleased with himself although that can just be because he is relieved I am awake again. It is hard to tell sometimes with my boyfriend.   
“New medicine. Don’t worry, Valkyrie, it’ll help your head,” he pats my hand and glances at his watch, “you should get some rest.”  
I am too tired to argue. I lean back against my bed careful not to hurt my injury further and close my eyes.   
Something nags at the back of my mind, something important, but it recedes the more the medicine in me begins to take effect. My worry melts away in moments and I can no longer remember what it was that was sending alarm bells through me.   
Pretty soon, there is nothing left in my mind asides from thoughts of Optimus and getting better.


End file.
